Museum uses beloved bear's pelt for model

BERLIN, Feb. 14 (UPI) -- Berlin's natural history museum said an exhibit honoring beloved zoo polar bear Knut uses the animal's real pelt.

The museum said Knut, who died at the age of 4 in March 2011 when he suffered a seizure and drowned in his enclosure at the Berlin Zoo, will be honored with a full-size model covered in the bear's actual pelt, The Local.de reported Thursday.

"It's important to make clear we haven't had Knut stuffed," museum spokeswoman Gesine Steiner said. "It's an artistically valuable sculpture with the original fur."

Knut became one of Berlin's most popular celebrities when he was hand-raised by zookeepers as a tiny cub.

The tribute will go on display Saturday and remain in place for four weeks.

"We are creating an extra entrance into the museum solely for Knut visitors," Steiner said.